The spouse of a well-known Pakistani human rights activist and lawyer has reported that her husband was forcefully taken from the city of Karachi, describing it as an “abduction.”
In a video shared on social media late Thursday night, Mansha Pasha, the wife of Jibran Nasir, recounted the incident, stating that they were returning home from a dinner when a group of individuals intercepted their car and forcibly took Nasir away.
“We were on our way back home when a white Vigo car stopped our vehicle and aggressively approached us. Around 15 men in plain clothes forcefully took him away,” she tearfully expressed in the video, appealing for the safe return of Nasir.
Subsequently, she filed a police complaint, demanding action against the unidentified individuals responsible for Nasir’s abduction.
Nasir, aged 36, had previously participated in national assembly elections in Karachi and is widely recognized as one of Pakistan’s most outspoken advocates against human rights violations.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent rights organization, issued a statement late Thursday night expressing deep concern about Nasir’s abduction.
“HRCP is deeply concerned by reports of lawyer and activist @MJibranNasir being abducted by unknown armed persons in Karachi. We demand his immediate safe recovery and expect his abductors to be held accountable under the law,” the organization stated in a tweet.
Nasir’s abduction, as a lawyer based in Karachi, occurred amidst an ongoing crackdown on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Nationwide protests broke out on May 9 after Khan was dramatically arrested on corruption charges at a court in Islamabad, leading to his supporters vandalizing public and private properties, including military installations.
A large number of arrests were made, including prominent PTI leaders, and the government intends to try some of the arrested individuals in military courts.
Nasir had criticized the crackdown on the PTI party and the decision to subject civilians to stringent military laws.
Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center based in the United States, condemned Nasir’s abduction on Twitter.
“Jibran Nasir is a courageous individual who speaks truth to power, and he has been doing so for many years. Disturbing news about his apparent abduction, and I hope he is released soon,” Kugelman posted.
Amidst the ongoing crackdown on the PTI, several individuals have been detained by security forces.
Last week, Sami Abraham, the head of a news channel, was taken into custody in Islamabad and was released earlier this week after six days.
On May 11, another journalist, Imran Riaz Khan, was arrested at Sialkot airport in Punjab province as he was preparing to leave the country. Both journalists had expressed their support for Khan and the PTI party.
